WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                         Ch. 593

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That there is a formula for financing delivery of local health services. The
purpose of the formula is to develop an estimated minimum budget for basic local health
services and to distribute responsibility for financing that budget equitably between the
State and the counties.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the estimated minimum
budget for local health services is based on certain staffing ratios. These ratios
approximate the minimum need for health professionals and support staff in local health
departments, but do not represent required staffing levels.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the following staffing
ratios will be calculated for each of the counties:

1 Health Officer per county;

1 Physician D per 75,000 plus population;

1 Community Health Nurse II per 3,700 population;

1 Sanitarian II per 11,000 population; and

1 Steno Clerk II per 10,000 population.

SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:

(1) For small counties with less than 75,000 in population, the staffing ratios
shall include 1 Administrator I.

(2)     For medium counties with 75,000 to 150,000 in population, the staffing
ratios shall include:

(i) 1 Administrator II; and

(ii) 1 Fiscal Specialist I.

(3)     For large counties with more than 150,000 in population, the staffing
ratios shall include:

(i) 1 Administrator III;

(ii) 1 Fiscal Specialist II; and

(iii) 1 Personnel Officer I.

SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:

(1) An estimated minimum budget for local health services shall be
calculated annually for each county by means of the steps in this section.

(2) Computation of the staffing ratios required by Sections 3 and 4 of this
Act shall use the estimated total population for January 1 following the beginning of each
fiscal year to produce on estimated staffing yield. The Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene shall obtain the estimated population from the Maryland Center for Health
Statistics prior to the submission of the annual State budget for the fiscal year.

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